Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Roofs

 

Good morning from a cloudy Hastings day.

I have been reading all the updates from our earthquake and it is rather scary all the buildings that have been damaged in Wellington.  Wellington has been hard hit with the shaking as well as the weather.  And yet another storm is brewing.

In the South Island the evacuations are going on thanks to all the warships, which also brought much needed supplies, especially water.

The earthquake has been upgraded to a 7.8 which is huge really.

Last night I had a break and went to see The Nutcracker with the Russian Imperial Ballet Company.  I took an elderly lady with me who had taken ballet in London many years ago.  She was so worried that she couldn’t go as she had broken her toe during the earthquake on Monday morning.  But we managed it.  I just want to say that the staff at the theatre were wonderful.  I was able to park close by and they provided us with a wheelchair so that this lady didn’t have to walk.  Then they wheeled her right down to our seats.  At the intermission they came and asked her if she needed the bathroom, which she didn’t.  Then at the end of the performance they wheeled her to the bathroom and then outside and helped her in the car.

The ballet was brilliant, but it was made even nicer with all this help.  It certainly cheered us up.  I just wanted to add a good feel story today after all the disasters that have been happening.

Anyway onto my image of this bright yellow roof which I found in Wellington a month ago.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Roofs

 

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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Entrances and Doors in Wellington

Good morning from a grey Hastings day.  We are in shock here, over the election results in the US.  Our immigration website has been rather busy.  The Canadian immigration website crashed constantly.  The stock markets are taking a hit too.  It has been fascinating watching it from afar, but I gave up once I heard that Trump was leading.  Time will tell as to how he will govern.

Anyway onto my post today. I found this sprinkler system housed in this little brick whatever it is.  It looks large, but it isn’t.

I found this giant top sculpture hiding an entrance to the tunnel under a busy road.  Not to mention entrances to buildings both left and right.  I waited into the person was heading into the entrance.  I love that she is colour coordinated with her surroundings.

Finally the wrought iron gates guarding the entrance to the Government Buildings.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Entrances and Doors

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Commercial Buildings in Wellington

Reserve Bank of New Zealand

Good morning from a sunny Hastings day.

This week Cee wants to see our commercial buildings.  So here are a few from Wellington.  First up is the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.  I knew what it was immediately from the huge bank notes in the windows. On the right is Kate Shepherd – our suffragist who managed to get the first votes in the world for New Zealand women. On the left is of course Sir Edmund Hillary.  The conqueror of Mount Everest.

 

All these buildings were taken around the Beehive, our government buildings.  Most of the buildings around this area are the government department.  Though I am not sure what this building is.  Still impressive though.

Looking over the CBD in Wellington from the steps around the Beehive.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Commercial Buildings

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Old and New Buildings in Wellington

Good morning from a very sunny day here in Hastings.

Last Saturday I wandered around Lambton Quay and the Parliament buildings.  Of all the times I have visited Wellington I had never being around our Parliament buildings. The weather was perfect as you can see so I had a ball.

First up I love the contrast between the old Turnball House, the birthplace of our national library nestled among the modern buildings.

  Our parliament buildings. Above is our Beehive – built in 1979. It is now known as the Beehive which you can imagine by it’s shape.

And the older Parliament House built in 1918, but never really completed.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Buildings

I must apologise if I don’t visit you all today.  Our Internet is mega slow.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Shades of Purple

Good morning from a cold, but drier Hastings day.

This week Cee has asked us for shades of purple.  My favourite colour.  

So I experimented with different coloured vignettes.  Just to emphasise the purples.

As usual I have purple blooms.  I wanted the blooms to stand out against a contrasting colour.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: The Colour Purple

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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Cat’s Eyes

Good morning from a dull spring day here in Hastings.

This week Cee wants to see different eyes.  When I think of cat’s eyes I think of a sea snail. My parents used to collect the cat’s eyes and polish them up for jewelry.  Whenever I went to a beach I would search for them.  But I haven’t really found any for a long time.

Here is a great story that I found on the Internet:

Whaitiri was an evil old woman in the South Island who sometimes ate members of her own family. Two of her grandsons, sent to stay the night with her, were afraid she would kill them when they were sleeping. They found some sea snails and took off the cat’s eyes. When they went to bed, they placed the shell lids over their own eyes. This tricked their grandmother into thinking they were wide awake, and she left them alone.

For more info about these sea snails and why we have cat’s eyes check out this page –Cat’s Eyes.

I adore cats, but unfortunately I am not allowed pets where I live but I seem to find a lot of cats around to take photos.  This was a neighbour’s cat and pure white.

Another fluffy cat from the neighbourhood.

Again a friendly or maybe not so friendly feline visitor.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Eyes

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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: A Proud Tui

Good morning from a cold and stormy spring day here in Hastings.  Hopefully this will be the last storm of winter.  I am a bit worried as I am in the Blossom Parade on Saturday, so it needs to warm.

Anyway onto warmer days and this gorgeous tui.  These photos were taken last week on the first day of spring.  I was hoping to get some decent shots of our native birds.  And this tui obliged.  I knew they were around as it is now their mating season.  I could definitely hear them.  You can’t miss them.  Anyway, after walking all around the park this tui came and sat on a branch just feet away and just posed for me.

So close that I could get the details of it’s feathers.

It is all fluffed up to impressed it’s mate.

I was ecstatic.  As you can imagine.

Another entry for Cee’s challenge these past 3 weeks.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Feathers

 

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Feathered Friends at Pakowhai Park

Good morning from a chilly, foggy Hastings day.  The first day of spring.  And the weather should be good.  Warming up for us.

Some more photos for Cee’s challenge – feathered friends at Pakowhai Park.  First up is this majestic black shag enjoying the sun.

I am so proud of this photo.  For once my reflexes were quick enough to catch this grey heron with a small fish in it’s beak.

Finally our native sacred kingfisher.

Cee’s Black & White Challenge:Feathers

 

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Feathers

Good morning from a cool but so far sunny day.  Only a week to go until the official start of spring.  Our days are starting to get warmer.  It is nice not to have to wear so many layers as well.  I will be participating in the blossom parade next month, dressed up as a suffragist – which is what suffragettes were originally called.  So we are busy decorating our float.  Actually it is just pieces of cardboard in the suffragette colours of purple, green and white.  I had a lot of fun yesterday with the other ladies – lots of laughter which makes the work go fast.

Anyway onto my photos today for Cee’s challenge which goes until Monday 12th September.

I love feathers. They can be so soft and delicate.

And see through.

I can spend hours watching ducks grooming their feathers (as in the first image).  It is always a challenge to try and get interesting photos of the splashes of water too.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Feathers

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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Busy Hands

Good morning from a clear frosty day here in Hastings.

This week Cee wants a hand with her challenge.  So here are a couple of busy hands.  These hands belong to a couple of stall holders in Otane.  I went around taking photos for our Facebook page and I wanted to show that yes, these products are indeed handmade.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Hands

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